Prepare for Financial Independence

The daughter of a friend of mine is getting married in a few weeks. While the guy seems very nice, I’m worried about the match. The daughter isn’t, in any way, prepared for financial independence. She just finished college and hasn’t had a “real” job yet. She only makes a few hundred dollars per month by stringing together a couple of part-time jobs. Fortunately, the boyfriend makes a nice living. The daughter has made no secret of the fact that she intends to just ride along on his money once they’re married. He will be the one handling the bills. She wants to have kids and stay home. Work and money management aren’t on her list of priorities.

3 Responses to Prepare for Financial Independence

Your post raises the issue that has also been a discussion issue for me lately. Financial education would be a very worthwhile addition to most community or other high school level programs. But I think the bigger issue you raise about this young woman is that it seems she is not interested in working hard whether it be with or without pay. That is one of the top priorities of being an adult. That is something that cannot be taught. Please feel free to provide them with a copy of my free online book. It may be an eye opener.

Being a very independent female, people are often surprised to learn my mother never worked. I’ve pondered it over the years. For one, my grandmother did work and is also fiercely independent. No doubt my mom was raised in a home where women take care of themselves. & she did get a degree. She just married very well! Whereas, 2 of my dad’s sisters did not go to college, were left with young kids to raise, and were financially devastated by divorce. Likewise, my parents didn’t feed me the usual fairytale of finding a man to take care of me – QUITE the opposite.

For reference, my spouse has stayed home for 9 years with our kids. He has a degree and some relevant work experience. He can take care of himself just fine. There are several women in our family who are educated and spent many years home with their kids. They also spent many many years working before their kids were born and after they were grown up. & not necessarily because they had to, but because they didn’t want to subject themselves to poverty and financial ruin if the marriage didn’t work out.